Senior Research Associate - Horizon Scanning & Evidence Synthesis (Qualitative)

We are a world class research-intensive university. We deliver teaching and learning of the highest quality. We play a leading role in economic, social and cultural development of the North East of England. Attracting and retaining high-calibre people is fundamental to our continued success.

The Role
We are seeking a highly motivated and methodologically skilled Senior Research Associate with a strong interest in Sustainability (e.g. planetary health, circular economy, social sustainability) to lead and contribute to a dynamic portfolio of horizon scanning and foresight projects. This is a key leadership role, offering the opportunity to shape and advance innovative methods in a rapidly evolving field (Horizon Scanning & Foresight). You will lead multidisciplinary, cross-sector projects in priority areas, ensuring timely delivery within scope and resource, and producing high-quality, tailored outputs that meet the needs of diverse stakeholders.

The successful candidate will play a central role in developing approaches that translate early signals into timely, relevant, and actionable outputs for policymakers, practitioners, and innovation stakeholders. This includes ensuring methodological rigour, clarity, and strategic value in all outputs, with a particular focus on generating actionable insights to inform strategic policy decision making around the regulation and adoption of new technologies.

You will work closely with other project and programme leads to foster cross-programme collaboration, support capacity building, and promote a culture of transparent, inclusive working. You will also be responsible for project governance, including risk, resource, and quality management, and will provide mentoring and line management to early career research colleagues, supporting their development and contributing to a positive, high-performing team environment.

The post holder has a responsibility for promoting the values of the NIHR Innovation Observatory through appropriate and visible leadership behaviours and actions. They will have a particular responsibility to:

• Teamwork: Collaborate with kindness, value and respecting everyone, offering help and support. Actively promoting an open flow of information and seeking to partner with external interest holders/stakeholders in all our activities.
• Courage and Ambition: Operate at the top of your game, valuing and actively seeking out learning and development opportunities. Giving and receiving feedback with honesty and reflecting on your approaches.
• Curiosity and Open-mindedness: Embrace creativity and value originality, seizing opportunities to learn and innovate.
• Integrity and Quality: Walk the talk and be well-prepared and robust in your approach, delivering high quality timely outputs, and managing your time and resources effectively.

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